Chapter 17 - THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T WANT TO BE FOUND
The first warning came as an anonymous email.
STOP OPENING THE OLD FILES.
The second came as a package.
Inside was a photograph of our office.
Taken from across the street.
The third was more direct.
A bullet hole appeared in the side window of Dante's car.
Nobody was hurt.
But the message was obvious.
Someone wanted us to stop.
I called the federal task force.
They increased our security.
We changed buildings.
We changed routes.
We stopped publicizing our schedules.
Nathan became increasingly worried.
“Maybe we should slow down.”
I shook my head.
“That’s what they want.”
“Bea.”
“No.”
He looked frustrated.
“You could get hurt.”
“So could you.”
He looked away.
I knew what he was thinking.
He had spent thirty-two years being hidden.
He didn't want to lose the family he had just found.
Neither did I.
Dante entered.
“We have a name.”
I looked up.
“Who?”
“Alistair Crane.”
I didn't recognize it.
Nathan did.
“He's mentioned in the old records.”
“Who is he?”
“The financial strategist behind several of the trusts.”
“Is he alive?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Dante put a file on the table.
“He lives in Switzerland.”
The same place where several accounts had been established.
We searched further.
Alistair had never been publicly connected to the identity network.
But his company had processed billions in transactions.
He had worked with Arthur.
He had worked with Victor.
And he had advised several political families.
The task force issued an international warrant.
Then Alistair contacted me directly.
He requested a meeting.
I agreed.
Dante wanted to come.
“So did Nathan.”
I refused both.
“I'll meet him.”
“You're not going alone.”
“I'll have federal agents.”
Dante shook his head.
“You never listen.”
I smiled.
“Neither do you.”
The meeting took place inside a Geneva hotel.
Alistair was older than I expected.
Seventy.
Silver hair.
Perfect suit.
He looked like a professor, not a criminal.
“You're Patrick Gallagher's daughter.”
“Yes.”
“He was a remarkable man.”
“You knew him.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you hide the identities?”
“I didn't.”
“Then who did?”
He smiled.
“You still think there was one organization.”
“There wasn't?”
“No.”
“There were several.”
“Competing interests.”
“Banks.”
“Families.”
“Governments.”
“Companies.”
“They all used the same system for different purposes.”
I stared.
“What was the original purpose?”
“Money.”
“And after?”
“Power.”
“And eventually?”
“Control.”
I felt sick.
“Why are people still afraid?”
“Because the old system left debts.”
“What debts?”
“Promises.”
“Favors.”
“Ownership.”
“And some people built their entire identities around those secrets.”
Alistair leaned closer.
“People will kill to protect a secret that proves their entire life is a lie.”
I thought of Nathan.
Then I asked:
“Who is the biggest remaining threat?”
He looked at me.
“You.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
“Because you are proving the secrets can be exposed without destroying everyone.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does to people who need chaos.”
He handed me a file.
“Read this.”
Inside was a list.
One hundred names.
Politicians.
CEOs.
Lawyers.
Judges.
One name stood out.
Evelyn Gallagher.
My mother.
I looked up.
“What does this mean?”
Alistair smiled.
“Your mother knew far more than she admitted.”
I stood.
“You're lying.”
“Ask her.”
I left the room.
I called Kathleen.
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“Were you involved?”
Silence.
“Mom.”
“I didn't want you to know.”
My heart dropped.
“Know what?”
“I knew Nathan was alive.”
I closed my eyes.
“And?”
“I helped hide him.”
The world seemed to stop.
“Why?”
“Because Patrick asked me.”
“You knew all these years?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I promised him.”
I felt betrayed.
Then she said something that changed everything.
May you like
“Bea, I wasn't protecting the network.”
“I was protecting you.”
